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Martina Vandenberg, an advocate for human trafficking victims, said corruption is "fundamental" to the success of the traffickers, noting that in Bosnia-Herzegovina, corrupt police officers participated directly in trafficking, getting payoffs in return for protecting the traffickers from raids.

Ms. Vandenberg, pro bono counsel for the Freedom Network USA, also said many trafficking victims in the United States don't try to escape because they come from countries where corruption is widespread and believe that police and judges in this country have been bought.